Richard Muhlack

Dr Richard Muhlack

Senior Lecturer

School of Agriculture, Food and Wine

Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology

Eligible to supervise Masters and PhD - email supervisor to discuss availability.


Dr Richard Muhlack has a PhD in Chemical Engineering and two decades of wine sector experience in various industry and research roles across process analysis and simulation, cleaner production and energy efficiency, renewable energy technology, waste treatment and environmental management.

In January 2014 Dr Muhlack transitioned from industry-based R&D (with the Hardy Wine Company across 1999-2008 and then AWRI from 2008-2014) to the University of Adelaide and now holds an academic position within the School of Agriculture Food and Wine, where he is working to pursue research and technical development projects in the following areas:

* Mathematical modelling of fermentation, extraction, adsorption processes during food and wine production
* Industrial Process Simulation and Optimisation
* NOLO (No and Low alcohol) beverage production
* Process efficiency and techno-economics
* Design of food and beverage process equipment
* Instrumentation and process automation
* Energy and Water Efficiency
* Wastewater Treatment and Cleaner Production

  • Appointments

    Date Position Institution name
    2019 - ongoing Senior Lecturer - Fermentation / Process Engineering University of Adelaide
    2014 - 2018 Lecturer - Fermentation / Process Engineering University of Adelaide
    2010 - 2014 Riverina Node Manager The Australian Wine Research Institute
    2008 - 2010 Process and Environmental Engineer The Australian Wine Research Institute
    2005 - 2008 Process Improvement Engineer Hardy Wine Company
    1999 - 2002 Production Systems Engineer BRL Hardy
    1998 - 1999 Process Engineer Adelaide Brighton Cement
    1998 - 1998 Vintage Vineyard Quality Assessor BRL Hardy
  • Awards and Achievements

    Date Type Title Institution Name Country Amount
    2017 Teaching Award Executive Dean of Sciences Awards for Excellence in Teaching The University of Adelaide Australia 1000
    2008 Award DAFF Australian Agricultural Industries Young Innovators and Scientists Award Winner - Australia -
    2004 Fellowship Roger Pysden Memorial Fellowship - Australia -
  • Education

    Date Institution name Country Title
    2002 - 2005 The University of Adelaide Australia PhD (Chemical Engineering)
    1996 - 1999 The University of Adelaide Australia BE (Chem) Hons
  • Current Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2023 Co-Supervisor Remediation of taint arising from vineyard exposure to bushfire smoke Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Song Yan
    2021 Principal Supervisor Mathematical modelling of red wine colour and polyphenols extraction and evolution to enhance winemaking efficiency Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Rachael Anne Tindal
    2019 Co-Supervisor Understanding the Relative Sustainability of Harvesting Pruned Vineyard Biomass and the Effect on Carbon Sequestration and Disease Management Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Benjamin Pike
    2018 Principal Supervisor Efficient Red Winemaking by Monitoring Extraction and Evolution of Colour and Polyphenols Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Ms Judith Unterkofler
  • Past Higher Degree by Research Supervision (University of Adelaide)

    Date Role Research Topic Program Degree Type Student Load Student Name
    2021 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Mitigating Taint in Wine Due to Vineyard Exposure to Bushfire Smoke Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Yiming Huo
    2020 - 2024 Co-Supervisor Evaluating Winemaking Applications of Ultrafiltration Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Stephanie Angela
    2018 - 2022 Co-Supervisor Use of Membrane Ultrafiltration for Wine Stabilisation and Clarification Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Miss Yihe Sui
    2016 - 2020 Co-Supervisor Alternative Technologies to Modify and Measure Red Wine Astringency and Quality Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Full Time Mr Wenyu Kang
    2015 - 2019 Co-Supervisor Developing process simulation models for red wine fermentation: Anthocyanin mass transfer and extraction Doctor of Philosophy Doctorate Part Time Mr Patrick Charles Setford
  • Memberships

    Date Role Membership Country
    2016 - ongoing Member American Society of Enology and Viticulture United States
    2015 - ongoing Member Winery Engineers Association Australia
    2014 - ongoing Member Australian Society of Viticulture and Oenology Australia
  • Position: Senior Lecturer
  • Phone: 83136771
  • Email: richard.muhlack@adelaide.edu.au
  • Campus: Waite
  • Building: Wine Science Laboratory, floor 1
  • Org Unit: Agricultural Science

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